Envelop-fastener.



PATENTED MAY 2, 1905.

M. TBRL'ETZKY. ENVELOP FASTENER.

APPLIOATXON FILED JUNE 25. 1904.

Patented May 2, 1905.

PATENT OEETCE.

MAX TERLETZKY, OF GOBLE, OREGON.

ENVELOP-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,075, dated May 2,1905.

Application filed June 25, 1904. Serial No. 214,193.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, MAX TERLn'rzKY, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Goble, in the county of Columbia and State of Oregon, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Envelop-Fasteners, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to envelop-fasteners, the object in view being toprovide a simple, cheap, and reliable fastening device applicable to theordinary flap envelop and comprising two members, one the complement ofthe other, by means of which the folding flap of the envelop may besecurely fastened to the back or body portion of the envelop formed bythe remaining liaps, thus preventing the envelop from being openedwithout injury thereto and partial destruction thereof.

The invention consists in the novel construction, combination, andarrangement hereinafter fully described', illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of an envelopequipped with the improved fastening device. Fig. 2 is an enlargeddetail section through the envelop, showing the manner in which the twomembers of the fastening device engage and interlock with each other.Fig. 3 is a view of the inner member of the fastening device beforebeing folded, which is secured to the back of the envelop. Fig. 4 is aview of the same device partly folded. Fig. is a view showing the devicecompletely folded. Fig. 6 is a similar view of the opposite or outerside of the same part. Fig. 7 is a view of the outer member of thefastening device, which is secured to the folding iiap of the envelop.

Like reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all iigures ofthe drawings.

Referring to the drawings, I have therein illustrated an ordinaryenvelop comprising the bottom Hap 1 and end flaps 2, which constitutethe back or body portion of the envelop, and the scaling, closing, andfolding iiap 3. Connected to the sealing-Hap 3 is one of the members ofthe fastening device, said member (shown at 4) being preferably in theshape of a disk, the central portion thereof being stamped out or cutaway, as shown at 5, to leave an inclosed yielding tongue 6,

which extends the greater part of the way across the opening or cut-outportion 5 and is an integral part of the disk. The tongue 6, which has aslight bend backward from the face of the disk 4, as shown in Fig. 2, isprovided adjacent to its free end with an aperture or lock-notch 7, thepurpose of which will hereinafter appear. The other or complementalmember 14 oi' the fastening device is shown in Fig. 3 and is made with acentral body portion 8, attaching tabs or lingers 9, projecting inopposite directions therefrom and arranged in opposite parallel pairs,and a yielding tongue 11, depending from the body portion 8 between thetabs or fingers 9. Before securing the member 14 to an envelop it isfolded as represented in Figs. 5 and 6. The tongue 11 is first folded onthe line 12 close to the body 8, preferably at an acute angle thereto`as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4. The iiaps or fingers 9 are then foldedover the tongue l1, their outer edges meeting' in the central line ofthe body, as shown, thus completing' the member, which is now ready forattachment to an envelop.

Referring to Fig. 6, which represents the outer or rear side of themember 14, the body portion 8 there shown is passed from within througha rectangular openingl formed in the meeting portions of the side flaps2 and bote tom flap 1 of the envelop and thc folded tabs or lingers 9pasted or otherwise secured to the inner face of the envelopback. (SeeFig'. 2.)

The members 4 and 14 of the fastening device may be made of tough stiffpaper, thin steel, brass, aluminium, or any material suitable for thepurpose.

To seal the envelop, the fiap 3 is folded against the back of theenvelop, and at the same time the tongue 6 is inserted between the bodyportion 8 and the folded tongue 11 until the locking-notch 7 reaches theextremity of the locking lip or catch 13, whereupon the catch snaps intothe notch 7, thus causing' the interlocking of the tongues, which servesto fasten the sealing-flap down. After the envelop is sealed it cannotbe opened without mutilating the fastening device in such a manner as toclearly show that the envelop has been tampered with. The flaps will besup- IOO plied with mucilage and gummed together in the ordinary way,the fastening device hereinabove described being an additionalsafeguard.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is l.An envelop-fastener comprising two members, one having a body portionprovided with a tongue bent over uponI the same and formed with aforwardly and laterally delected lip or catch, and portions folded overupon and inclosing said tongue and having terminal securing devices, andthe other provided with a rearwardly-deflected tongue having alock-notch to coact with the said laterally-deected lip or catch, saidlip or catch adapted to pass through said notch into the Space betweenthe body portion of the firstnamed member and its saidrearwardly-dellected tongue, substantially as described.

2. An envelop fastener comprising two members, one having arearwardly-deflected tongue provided with a lock-notch, and the othercomprising a body portion having at one end a tongue adapted to 'be bentover upon the same and provided with a forwardlydeflected lip or catch,and side portions adapted to be bent over said body portion to inclosesaid tongue and formed at the ends of the body portion with lextendedsecuring tabs or lingers, said forwardly projecting tongue adapted topass through the notch in the rearwardly-deflected tongue into the spacebetween said rearwardly-deflected tongue and the body of the member towhich said latternamed tongue is attached, substantially as described.

3. The combination with an envelop provided with openings in its backand folding flap, of a fastener comprising an inner member secured tothe inner face of the back and having an inclosed portion or casingexposed at said opening in the back of the envelop and provided with anoutwardly-deflected tongue projecting into said casing and formed with alocking-lip, and an outer fastening member secured to the folding liap fthe envelop and having an inwardly deflected or offset tongue projectingthrough the opening therein and into the casing in the inner fasteningmember and provided with a lock-notch to receive said lip, the latterextending through said notch into the space between the body member andits inwardly-deflected tongue, substantially as described.

4. An envelop fastener comprising two members, one consisting of a bodyportion slitted to form a tongue, said tongue being rearwardly deflectedto form a receiving space or chamber upon the exterior thereof andhaving an opening therein, and the other member consisting of a bodyportion having a casing, securing tabs or fingers, and a tongue disposedin said casing, and having adeflected lip or catch to pass through theopening in the tongue of the first-named member, the secondnamedv memberbeing formed from a substantially H-shaped blank havingafoldable tonguebetween two of its terminal arms, said tongue being folded over upon thebody portion thereof, and the side portions and terminal arms of theblank folded over upon said tongue to respectively form a casingtherefor and outwardly and oppositely projecting securing tabs orfingers, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof 1 afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MAX TERLETZKY.

Witnesses:

FRANK C. CLEAvER, M. LINK.

